Lawyers can actually be disbarred?

[Richard]

Amazing.

Richard's $.02

Florida Lawyer Disbarred For Sex With Client
AP, 30 Apr 2009

A lawyer who let a female client work off her fee through sex has been disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court. The justices Thursday cited the man's guilty plea to solicitation to prostitution as one of several instances of professional misconduct.

The justices wrote that the man admitted having sex with his 18-year-old client and another woman in exchange for credits toward her $2,300 fee for handling an assault case.

He agreed to take off $200 every time he had sex with her and $400 when she arranged sex with another woman.

The justices also found in other cases he altered evidence, caused a witness to give false testimony, charged excessive fees and stole clients' money.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/...FlSt9shVXtiBIF

[2charlie]

Originally Posted by Richard

The justices also found in other cases he altered evidence, caused a witness to give false testimony, charged excessive fees and stole clients' money.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/...FlSt9shVXtiBIF

I thought that was standard operating procedure..... Ok, just kidding. Sort of. I wonder if they charged her with prostitution.

[Kyobanim]

I don't know why he got disbarred. It's just another version of getting screwed.

[CSB]

He is not the first, and probably won't be the last. Here is a Tennessee attorney had his conviction reversed by the Tennessee Supreme Court on the legal conclusion that he can't patronize a prostitute unless the woman is -- in fact -- a prostitute:

CASE SUMMARY PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant an attorney, was convicted of two counts of attempt to patronize prostitution in the Circuit Court for Roane County (Tennessee), pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-107(a). He appealed.

OVERVIEW: Defendant's client testified that when she met with defendant to discuss post decree matters concerning her divorce, he offered to reduce her bill by $100 each time she sat in his office and watched him masturbate to climax. Eventually, she involved law enforcement and they wired her for one such incident. A videotape and an audiotape were admitted into evidence. The State argued his attempt to hire her with the intent that she engage in sexual activity for monetary compensation made her a prostitute. Both defendant and she denied she was a prostitute. There was no evidence she in any way pretended to be a prostitute or testimony characterizing her as such. There was no evidence he attempted to solicit or hire her with the intent that she engage in sexual activity as a business. The appellate court could not conclude his intent to credit her account after each act involving sexual relations resulted in her engaging in sexual activity as a business. If the sexual activity did not qualify as prostitution, then defendant was not guilty of attempting to patronize prostitution. The evidence was insufficient to convict.

OUTCOME: The judgments of the trial court were reversed and the charges against the defendant dismissed.

OK, so while he "won" his case, the attorney has now had his name spread across the published reports of the State of Tennessee as a wanker. As they say on TV,
"But wait, ... there's more ..."

Instead of quietly letting the matter die off into the mists of time, the attorney (Mr. F. Chris Cawood, for those taking notes) filed a Motion in the Appellate Court seeking that the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Tennessee give him the videotapes! That results in another appeal and another opinion published across the web that will also linger forever.

Conclusion

For the foregoing reasons, we hold that the audiotapes and videotape entered as exhibits during the trial are public records in the control of the Clerk of the Supreme Court. There they shall remain unless disposed of in accordance with RDA 1672 or other applicable law. Costs on appeal are taxed to F. Chris Cawood and his surety, for which execution may issue if necessary.

For his actions he received a "Public Censure," the mildest form of public discipline the Board of Professional Responsibility can impose:

CAWOOD, F. CHRIS BPR # 001851
March 30, 2001 County: Roane District: 2
Public censure on March 30, 2001.

A conflict of interest arose as a result of his personal relationship with a client. The Board found no indication that the quality of his representation was diminished by the conflict.

and hey, isn't diversity what it is all about?

¶36 Count 14 alleged a violation of SCR 20:1.7(b) due to Attorney Inglimo having sexual intercourse with K.K. Attorney Inglimo admitted and the referee found that Attorney Inglimo had sexual intercourse with K.K. in the presence of her husband P.K. Attorney Inglimo suggested the arrangement. The encounter was videotaped, with Attorney Inglimo supplying and setting up the videotape equipment. Attorney Inglimo admitted that he had represented P.K., K.K. or both in numerous matters beginning in at least 1997 and that at the time of the videotaped sex act, he had an ongoing attorney-client relationship with P.K. K.K. had clearly been a client of Attorney Inglimo prior to the incident, although Attorney Inglimo contended that she was not a client at the time of the sexual encounter.

¶37 Both P.K. and K.K. testified that the sexual intercourse was payment for prior legal services that Attorney Inglimo had rendered to K.K. P.K. testified that the videotaping was done to ensure that there was no dispute that the bill for legal fees had been paid in full. The referee implied that he believed the sex was indeed payment for prior legal services, but he did not make a specific finding of fact to that effect. The referee noted that Count 14 had not charged Attorney Inglimo with obtaining sex as payment for legal services.

[bubblehead]

Originally Posted by Kyobanim

I don't know why he got disbarred. It's just another version of getting screwed.

As the article stated, he was disbarred for professional misconduct. Do not be fooled: lawyers are disbarred/suspended/reprimanded in Florida.

The details of ALL disbarments/suspensions/repreminds in Florida can be found here:

http://www.floridabar.org/TFB/TFBPub...plinary+Action

[Box]

...maybe he can get a job in the administration

...as long as his taxes are paid up

[Kyobanim]

Originally Posted by bubblehead

As the article stated, he was disbarred for professional misconduct. Do not be fooled: lawyers are disbarred/suspended/reprimanded in Florida.

The details of ALL disbarments/suspensions/repreminds in Florida can be found here:

http://www.floridabar.org/TFB/TFBPub...plinary+Action

my post should have been accompanied with

[bubblehead]

Originally Posted by Kyobanim

my post should have been accompanied with

Roger that Interesting read in that link. They do some stupid things sometimes.

[Red Flag 1]

Originally Posted by Billy L-bach

...maybe he can get a job in the administration

...as long as his taxes are paid up

Paid up taxes in the present administration are an option.

In that the "client" filed a complaint.......guess she was publicly complaining about his performance across the board..then.......

RF 1

[bubblehead]

Originally Posted by Red Flag 1

...complaining about his performance

funny